Quick thoughts and highlights from the final press conferences of Ohio State coach Urban Meyer and Alabama coach Nick Saban before Thursday's College Football Playoff semifinal in the Sugar Bowl:

1. Meyer didn't subscribe to the notion that the Buckeyes' dominant defensive line that includes end Joey Bosa and defensive tackles Michael Bennett and Adolphus Washington would be the key to the game. "That's one of the things, but there's too much other stuff," Meyer said. He emphasized the premium he puts on field position and special teams. "In this kind of game every yard is going to be critical and there are a lot of things that go into that."

2. Asked if he's sought advice from his mentors before the inaugural playoff game, Meyer mentioned former OSU coach Earle Bruce and ex-Notre Dame coach Lou Holtz. He said he would draw on what he heard from Holtz. "I have great respect for his approach to the game," Meyer said of Holtz. "It's a small circle I lean on."

Sights and sounds from Sugar Bowl media day Tuesday at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome:

1. Ohio State redshirt sophomore quarterback Cardale Jones said he thought baseball would be his college path. Growing up he said he played offensive or defensive line, but he knew he wouldn't be big enough to do that in college. He never played quarterback until he got to Glenville High School. Pitching in the eighth grade, Jones said he had a 79 mph curveball. Jones didn't know that sophomore defensive end Joey Bosa was a catcher growing up and laughed at the thought.

For the second time this season Ohio State guard D'Angelo Russell has been named the Big Ten Freshman of the Week.

In Ohio State's wins over Miami (OH) and Wright State, Russell averaged 19.5 points, six assists, 4.5 rebounds and two steals per game. He did so while shooting 66.7 percent from the field, including a ridiculous 71.4 percent on three pointers.

Against Wright State Russell had 24 points, and set an Ohio State freshman record with six three-point field goals.

Russell is fourth in the Big Ten in scoring, averaging 17.7 points per game. He was named the conference's top freshman on Dec. 8.

Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine issued a warning telling people to be skeptical of buying tickets to the Sugar Bowl game between Ohio State and Alabama on Jan. 1.

In a release, DeWine said two people from Ohio each lost $800 buying Sugar Bowl tickets on Craigslist.

“For every scam that gets reported there are probably 10 or more that don’t, so we want consumers to be very careful,” DeWine said in the release. "If someone says you have to wire money to buy tickets, it’s likely a scam."

One of the advertisers promised six tickets for $800. They claimed to be in the military and showed an ID. Although the ID was legitimate, it was stolen.

Ohio State offensive lineman Kyle Dodson, a product of Cleveland Heights High School, will no longer be allowed to play football because of a neck condition, the school announced Wednesday.

Dodson, 6-foot-6 and 310 pounds and in his third season at OSU, appeared in one game this season and three in 2013. He underwent shoulder surgery midway through the Buckeyes' undefeated season in 2012 and was redshirted.

A four-star recruit, Dodson was rated the No. 12 senior in the state in the Class of 2012 and one of the top 25 offensive tackles in the nation by Scout.com and Rivals.com.

Ohio State has landed three players on the Associated Press All-America teams.

Sophomore defensive end Joey Bosa was named a first-team All-American. Defensive tackle Michael Bennett and quarterback J.T. Barrett landed on the third team.

Bosa, arguably Ohio State's best player, has 50 tackles, 20 tackles for a loss, 13.5 sacks and four forced fumbles this season. That statline also includes a game-ending sack that helped Ohio State beat Penn State. Bosa has also been named a first-team All-American by CBS and USA Today, among others.

This season Heuerman has only 17 receptions for 207 yards and two touchdowns. He's been used as a blocker much more this season, however. In 2013 he had 26 catches for 466 yards and four touchdowns as a junior.

With Tom Herman expected to become the next head coach at Houston, the focus for Ohio State will become his replacement.

Land Grant Holy Land has put together a nice look at seven people who could be in the running. The leading name on the list is current offensive line coach Ed Warinner. He is rumored to be up for the head coach position at Kansas, however.

Ohio State freshman quarterback J.T. Barrett may be out the rest of the season, but that doesn't mean he can't win awards.

Barrett was named the National Freshman of the Year by the College Football Performance Awards on Tuesday.

Barrett was 11-1 as Ohio State's starting quarterback before getting injured against Michigan. He set a Big Ten record with 45 total touchdowns on the season. He threw for 2,834 yards and ran for an additional 938 yards.

Nike revelead new jerseys for the four college football playoff teams on Tuesday.

One of the unique features for the Buckeyes are gloves and base layer shirt featuring printing from a Woody Hayes chalkboard session.

Nike showed off Ohio Sate's home scarlet jersey. With the No. 4 Buckeyes taking on No. 1 Alabama in the Sugar Bowl, Ohio State will most likely wear white jerseys for the game.

The scarlet jerseys are similar to the ones Ohio State wore in the 1990s with thick gray shoulder stripes. The jerseys also feature black numbering on the shoulders and black stripes down the pant leg.

INDIANAPOLIS: No one could blame Ohio State’s Cardale Jones for humming a certain Beatles tune after Saturday night’s 59-0 dissection of Wisconsin in the Big Ten championship game at Lucas Oil Stadium.

He got by with more than a little help from his friends — on both sides of the ball.

Jones’ cool, collected performance, which included completing 12-of-17 passes for 257 yards and three touchdowns, spurred a Buckeyes rout of the Badgers and likely opened the eyes of the College Football Playoff committee, which will meet Sunday afternoon to decide the ultimate fate of four of the nation’s top programs in the system’s inaugural season.

After the game, Ohio State coach Urban Meyer made a case for the Buckeyes to be included in the playoffs.

INDIANAPOLIS: This is what it’s like to not have your fate in your hands.

It can’t be said the Buckeyes didn’t try. By blanking the Wisconsin Badgers 59-0 Ohio State sent notice to the College Football playoff selection committee that the couldn’t and shouldn’t be overlooked with they meet to decide which four teams will play in the inaugural playoff.

While acknowledging the complexity of the selection process, coach Urban Meyer made his case for conclusion in the post-season process.

“The Selection Committee has a tough job,” he said. “The whole BCS thing, this is supposed to clean up the BCS conflict or conversations. All I can speak to is I've been around teams that have competed and won national championships. This team, the way it's playing right now, is one of the top teams in America.”

INDIANAPOLIS: Receiver Devin Smith and cornerback Doran Grant arrived together from Massillon and St. Vincent-Mary to Ohio State with the recruiting class of 2011, what would be former coach Jim Tressel’s last for the Buckeyes.

The cousins and roommates will leave together as well, but not before taking memories of their first Big Ten championship – one that each contributed to signicantly in a 59-0 spanking of the Wisconsin Badgers.

Smith caught four passes, but made them count for 137 yards and three touchdowns. Grant picked off two Joel Stave passes in the dominating win.

The pair talked about the chance to win the game prior to arriving in Indianapolis, Smith said.